


So long, soldier

by Ellstra



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bottom Kylo Ren, Cadet Hux, M/M, One Night Stands, Under-negotiated Kink, but not really, force-null Ben
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-19
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-12-04 07:43:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11550657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellstra/pseuds/Ellstra
Summary: Hux is a cadet on his last night of shore leave before he has to go to the front line again. Ben Organa is just trying to make some sense of his existence.They meet in a dingy cantina.





	So long, soldier

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the kylux cantina prompt "No Man's Land" it got a little out of hand.

Hux watches his shady drink swirl in his glass. He’s not sure why he’s here, in a dirty cantina swarming with smugglers, mercenaries, pimps and other fine examples of the worst the galaxy has to offer. All he knows is that he regrets refusing the dreamdust he was offered in a hushed, barely comprehensible basic, and that he wishes he chose a better establishment than this to spend his last night of shore leave in. He takes another sip of his drink and his face contorts in disgust. He wonders if this is his body trying to stop him from killing himself. 

He downs the rest of the drink and shudders.

“Wow, you really hate yourself, don’t you?” 

Hux turns his head in the direction of the voice, more as a visceral reaction than a conscious decision. If he can distinguish words in the clamor of the cantina, the person talking to him must be close. Closer than Hux likes. He’s about to utter something offensive to whoever dares disturb him but then he sees the intruder. 

“What?” is the only thing he manages at first, before recovering some of his dignity and continuing: “Could you possibly mean by that?”

“I’ve never seen anyone drink one of these save on a dare,” the stranger shrugs and leans even closer to Hux. His lips are nearly touching Hux now and his breath is warm on Hux’s skin.

“How do you know I wasn’t?” Hux asks defensively and doesn’t pull away despite his instincts. 

“If you were, that’s some pathetic dare,” the stranger informs him, “sitting here all alone. Where’s the fun in that?”

“Do I look like I’m having fun?” Hux growls.

“What are you doing here then?” the man asks and his knee brushes against Hux’s. Hux has just about enough sanity to push him away.

“I was trying to drink myself to unconsciousness,” Hux mutters.

“Was?”

“I’m not sure I want to pass out with you licking my face.”

The man has the audacity to laugh but fortunately he doesn’t do so with his mouth barely an inch from Hux’s ear. He pulls away from Hux and motions to the barkeep. Hux hopes he’ll be left in peace now, but it only lasts a few moments before there’s a new glass in front of him; a drink so colourful it blinds him even in the dim light. 

“I’m Ben,” Hux’s companion raises his own glass with the same suspicious liquid for a toast.

“Hux,” he mumbles, before he finds it rude not to respond. Or rather, impossible. He wonders if the guy is trying to drug him and finds that he - disturbingly - doesn’t care. Ben is tall and muscular and wears more clothes than the rest of the cantina guests combined. Hux hopes it means he doesn’t have an STD. He also wishes he’d bought some condoms after he’d used up his rations three days ago. 

“Nice to meet you,” Ben clinks their glasses together and takes a sip. Hux watches Ben swallow in fascination and he turns bright red when Ben grins at him. He takes a gulp of his drink to occupy himself.

“You’ll find I’m rather good at licking,” Ben says casually, just when Hux is about to swallow. Hux spits some of the drink out, on his shirt and pants and Ben’s face. 

“I’ll show you,” Ben says and then, without any warning, he leans forward and licks Hux’s chin. Hux freezes, which he supposes is better than falling off the chair, but only a little. Ben straightens and smiles, running the tip of his tongue over his lower lip.

“You call that a show?” Hux hears himself saying, despite his brain’s protests. 

“You want me to show you properly here?” Ben raises an eyebrow, “I'm not saying I won't, just didn't guess you were the type.”

“Is there a better place we could take this?” Hux asks, throwing all caution into the wind. He’s going back to the field tomorrow and stars know if he’ll make it out alive, real-life battles never agreed with him as much as simulations did. He’ll treat himself to a hot stranger if he wants. He’ll even pay for it if Ben turns out to be a prostitute.

“I was hoping you have your shit together enough to have a place,” Ben says.

“Seriously?” Hux exclaims, “Do you think anyone in this hole has their shit together?” 

“Fair point,” Ben agrees, “are you opposed to the idea of having sex outside or would you prefer to rent one of the very questionable rooms above this boozer?” 

“I think outside sounds less likely to be full of germs,” Hux says, and he screams at himself for seriously considering this. 

“I agree,” Ben throws some credits onto the bar counter and leans forward towards Hux. He places his hands - ridiculously big hands Hux imagines around his waist - on Hux’s thighs and kisses the tip of Hux’s ear before uttering: “I’ll make you scream so much the whole cantina will rush outside to see what’s going on.”

“Oh yes,” Hux huffs, “please.”

“Your wish is my command,” Ben says and nibbles on Hux’s earlobe. Hux yelps with surprise. “Let’s go.”

Ben leads the way through the crowded cantina. Hux tries to follow him but his build is not as impressive as Ben’s to keep people out of the way, and his usual glare isn’t registered by people high on drugs and endorphins. He reaches forward to grab onto Ben not to lose him. He catches a hold of a t-shirt and Ben turns around suddenly.

“So impatient already?” he asks.

“You were too fast for me,” Hux admits, “but incidentally, yes, so move if you would be so kind.”

“Do you want to dance a little?” Ben says, the people around them bringing them so close together Hux can feel Ben’s firm stomach against his own. 

“Are you serious?”

“Come on,” Ben smiles and catches Hux’s wrists in his hands, “it will be fun.”

Hux can think of a dozen other things he’d prefer to do in that moment but then Ben lays Hux’s hands on his own ass and wiggles it, and suddenly Hux doesn’t object to dancing anymore, even if that means moving to the rhythm of the frankly awful music the cantina is blasting. Ben gives him a sly smile and wraps his arms around Hux’s neck, bringing the two of them insanely close. Hux feels the outline of Ben’s ass under his palms and mimics Ben’s movements. It doesn’t take even a full minute before they’re shamelessly humping each other’s thigh. 

“I’m not going to come in a cantina full of people,” Hux warns and moans, throwing his head back in pleasure. 

“Aren’t you really?” Ben asks and presses his lips against Hux’s exposed neck. 

“No-Not above collar,” Hux breathes out. Ben grunts and buries his nose under Hux’s shirt, sucking on the spot above Hux’s collar bone. Hux moans and squeezes Ben’s ass. He’s breathless now and incredibly hard. He can feel Ben’s cock against his leg too and the idea of it just hiding there almost drives him over the edge right there. 

“Continuation outside?” Ben breathes against his skin and Hux whimpers when Ben pulls away. 

“I hate you,” Hux mutters but he doesn’t mean it. Ben takes his hand this time as he makes his way through the crowd. Soon enough they’re outside. The air is hot, suffocating and smells of burned oil, and in no way a relief from the cramped cantina. There are a few people lurking around but they mind their own business. Ben leads the way to a nearby forest. Hux thanks whichever god has made him sensible enough not to spend his shore leave on a desert planet. 

Once they’re in the forest, Ben presses Hux against the first tree and kisses him, properly on the lips. Hux feels like he could die in that moment and feel content, but the moment he eases into the kiss, Ben’s mouth is away, exploring his neck.

“How much does this shirt mean to you?” Ben asks when his teeth find the first button.

“Not much,” Hux replies and he still gasps when Ben tears the buttons off. Hux tries to remember whether he didn’t buy the dreamdust after all, because Ben is simply too many of his fantasies embodied in one person. He decides he doesn’t care. 

Ben is on his knees, kissing Hux’s underbelly. His fingers unbutton Hux’s trousers and push them to his knees along with his underwear. Hux’s cock jumps free from the briefs and Ben actually presses a kiss to it before he licks it from the root to the tip. Hux moans again. He’s so going to embarrass himself in front of Ben, in front of this beautiful stranger sucking his cock.

“Close,” he breathes out only and groans when Ben pulls away. Hux is clutching the tree he’s pressed against, bark rough and crumbling beneath his fingers. Ben is kneeling in front of him, his big eyes glistening in the darkness, and Hux wonders if maybe  _ Ben _ has had some stardust. 

“Are you high?” he asks. He’s one stroke, one lick away from orgasm, but he feels the need to know.

“And if I am?” Ben retorts with a smirk, and runs one finger down Hux’s navel, from his bellybutton to the root of his cock, “are you one of those freaks who won’t sleep with someone who does drugs?”

“Yes,” Hux hisses, throws his head back and closes his eyes, “I’m one of those freaks.”

“Too bad,” Ben says and wraps his fingers around Hux’s cock. Hux yelps, embarrassingly loud, and comes. He takes a few deep breaths, his eyes turned skywards, unwilling to deal with the menace holding his cock just yet. He indulges himself with a couple of seconds of pleasure before he has to acknowledge the calamity of a man who gave it to him. Ben tucks Hux’s cock back into his underwear and pants, as if seeing it is too obscene for him.

“Anyone there?” Ben calls. Hux sighs and tears his eyes from the stars. 

“I was trying to pretend you didn’t just say that.”

“Say what?” Ben quirks an eyebrow. He’s still kneeling on the ground, and there’s come drying on his thighs. “I’m not actually high. I do drugs every once in a while, but never with alcohol. I’m reckless, not suicidal.”

“Oh,” Hux relaxes, “so I didn’t get a blowjob from you when you weren’t able to say no.”

“Please,” Ben scoffs, “if it were up to you, we’d be sitting on different sides of the cantina.”

“You’re right,” Hux nodded, “stand up, I want to return the favour.”

Ben does, but he presses himself against Hux, pushing him against the tree. Hux can feel the bark through the shreds of his torn shirt. Ben’s hard cock is rubbing Hux’s left thigh, and he wants to reach between them and cup it with his hand, to get a feel of it, but there’s no space.

“Let me touch you,” he huffs and growls when Ben chuckles and sucks on his neck. He wants to protest but Ben speeds up and then suddenly halts, come stain spreading all over his thigh. Hux wants to roll his eyes - so immature - but he can’t because the smell of Ben’s sweaty skin, come and the forest around them mingle together in the most seductive aphrodisiac he’s ever smelled.

“Stars, you’re gorgeous,” he mumbles instead, and Ben kisses the praise off his lips.

“So where would you be, if you don’t have a place to stay?” Ben asks, and Hux has a feeling he’s being scrutinized. He doesn’t mind as much as he should.

“I’d be drinking in the cantina until I have to report back to my platoon,” he says, not even thinking about his response. 

“Your platoon?” Ben pulls away from him, surprised.

“Yeah. I’m a First Order academy cadet,” Hux replies. The mood changes, even though Hux can’t exactly tell what he’s done wrong. Unless…

“I’m Ben Organa,” Ben says, and lets Hux do the maths. Hux goes from confusion to feeling very strange in a matter of seconds. 

“I swear I’m not here to assassinate you,” he blurts out at last. Ben laughs at that.

“This is just typical,” he mutters then, “I find someone hot who likes me back, and he turns out to be a kriffing Stick.”

“Stick?” Hux repeats, willfully ignoring both the insult and compliment.

“Uh, that’s what we call you,” Ben explains, obviously regretting saying that out loud, “the people from the Order. Because you look like you have sticks up your asses.”

“Seriously,” Hux narrows his eyes, “that’s so stupid.”

“I never said it wasn’t.”

They stand there, still pressed against each other, as if they are afraid to let go, or maybe like they forgot. Hux watches the seam on Ben’s shirt, while Ben stares at the tree above Hux’s shoulder. 

“So what now?” Hux asks, softly.

“I don’t know,” Ben replies in an equally shy voice, “I suppose we could call it an unfortunate accident enhanced by an orgasm, and go our separate ways.”

Hux begins picking at the stitching of Ben’s shirt. He leans forward a little, uncertainly asking for a kiss. Ben understands, and their lips meet, slowly but fervently, and Ben brings their bodies so close together until it’s almost painful. 

“Or we could make most of my night off before I'm forced to risk my life again,” Hux mumbled when they parted for air, “I want to fuck you.”

“I'm not, uh, prepared,” Ben mumbled, sounding regretful, “I wasn't expecting to get laid today.”

“What were you planning to do in that cantina?” 

“Honestly? Buy drugs and take a walk while I'm high. It's a very spiritual experience,” Ben says coyly, not looking Hux in the eye, “I changed my mind when I saw you trying to kill yourself with alcohol poisoning.”

“I wasn't trying to kill myself. Just get drunk enough to not want to drink for a week at least.”

“That's really sad,” Ben observed, “you're lucky I saved you.”

“Do you reckon they might have condoms and lube in the cantina?” Hux asks.

“Let’s see,” Ben chuckles, “I’ve never had anyone want me so much.”

“Well I happen to be drunk the perfect amount to lose my restraint but still coordinate my movements,” Hux says and tries to push Ben off himself, “and you happen to be really gorgeous.”

“You’re amazing too, you know,” Ben say and finally steps away but only a little, wrapping his arm around Hux’s waist as they walk to the cantina, “I don’t usually go around picking up guys in bars.”

“What do you usually do then?” 

“Sit around, wish I had enough money or talents to run from home, watch the stars,” Ben shrugs, avoiding the obvious and Hux is grateful for it, “read stories and wish I inherited Force-sensitivity from my mother’s side of the family so that there would be something even remotely interesting about me.”

“Running away from home is overrated,” Hux points out, “it feels great when you do it, but soon enough you find out you’re doing exactly what they made you do at home, because it’s rooted so deep in you, you don’t even know what else to do.”

“That’s depressing and helpful at the same time.”

“That’s who I am, full of contradictions,” Hux sighs. Ben pulls him in for a kiss, his hands cupping Hux’s face.    
“I never want you to go away,” he whispers against Hux’s lips.

“Please don’t be pathetic and cheesy before dawn.”

“Okay,” Ben smiles, “I’ll save my emotional speech for then.”

Hux nods and Ben’s hands fall down to his hips again. Hux shivers at the light touch of Ben’s fingers on his bare skin. 

They stumble into the cantina wrapped around each other, and Hux lets Ben handle the business. The barkeep gives them a knowing look, and Hux blushes dark crimson while Ben shares a lewd joke with them. Finally they’re handed a pack of condoms and a half-used bottle of lube that Hux guesses were until then property of the barkeep. Ben leaves some credits on the counter and leads Hux out of the cantina.

“You look shocked like a virgin,” Ben laughs.

“I’ve just never seen anyone so open about sex,” Hux says, “it’s not like that where I come from.”

“Aww, okay.” 

“Don’t patronize me.”

“Okay.”

Hux pulls Ben into a kiss and cups his ass to show him that he might not be used to talking about sex with strangers but he’s no virgin. Ben’s body is hot and oh so responsive, and Hux still isn’t sure this is actually happening. Ben’s tongue sneaks into his mouth and occupies his mind with different thoughts. They kiss for maybe a minute, rubbing their crotches together, and Hux can already feel his head spin. 

“Not here,” he breathes, because they’re still in clear view from the cantina. He has a horrible feeling that the barkeep is watching them.

“You were the one who stopped here,” Ben points out. 

“You provoked me,” Hux objects. They walk hand in hand back to the forest, and Hux wonders if this will be the best sex in the worst place he’s ever had. “I was merely defending my honour.”

“Consider it defended.”

“I was only just beginning.”

“Will you bend me over a fallen tree and fuck me while some animal watches from afar?” Ben asks. Hux cringes.

“Please don’t make this even weirder than it is already,” he sighs, “it’s surpassing my comfort levels so much it’s not even funny, but I still really want to do it. And I think I’ll regret it later unless it’s absolutely mindblowing, and that comment didn’t help.”

“You’re too dramatic.”

“You just made me imagine being watched by an animal while I have sex, I don’t think so.”

“You really are perfect,” Ben laughs and Hux’s heart skips a beat a that. They reach the forest, and Ben makes a beeline for a particularly broad and old tree. Its bark is smooth and nearly white, standing out in the darkness of the night. 

“I like this one,” Ben announces, “please fuck me while I hug this tree.”

Hux wants to say something about Ben being a weirdo, and even make some joke about him trying to seek the connection to the Force he feels he’s owed by the universe, but it feels too cruel, so he doesn’t. Which must be the first time in his life; he usually comes up with a snippy comment and ponders how to make it even worse. He supposes he doesn’t want to lose the opportunity to touch this beautiful man, or maybe there’s a set amount of times someone calls you perfect before you fall in love with them. And Hux would never want to scare someone he loves away. He thinks he’ll have to have a serious conversation with his brain about this, once the adrenalin rush is over.

“Your wish is my command,” he says and briefly kisses Ben before turning him around. He doesn’t have the muscle strength to  _ actually  _ press Ben against the tree, but Ben plays along. Hux realises that for all the fun they’ve had already, he has yet to see Ben naked. He slips his hands beneath Ben’s shirt, taking the hem with him. Ben’s back is slightly damp with sweat and Hux feels high on the sensation of the muscle beneath his palms. He pulls the shirt up and Ben raises his hands and helps Hux pull it off before, true to his promise, he hugs the tree. 

The skin on his back is not as smooth as Hux imagined, littered here and there by small pimples. Hux supposes that’s a proof enough that this is actually happening. There’s a bigger one right on top of one vertebra, and Hux resists the urge to pick at it. He presses a kiss to Ben’s neck, and Ben’s hair tickles him. He continues nibbling at Ben’s skin while his hands move to Ben’s front, searching blindly for the hem of his trousers. When he finds it, he fights the opening - and Ben himself, seeking friction against his hand - for a while before he manages to pull it down. He palms Ben’s cock through the fabric of his underwear and cringes at the dried come staining it. He almost forgot about that. 

“Where’s the lube?” he mumbles against Ben’s back, unwilling to pull away unless it’s necessary. 

“It’s in my pocket,” Ben says, “front right, I think.”

Hux squats slowly, still leaving kisses on Ben’s back, until he can reach into his pocket. He finds the bottle, wondering why anyone would make trousers with pockets this big, and stands up again, bringing their bodies together. He rubs his cock against Ben’s ass while slipping his fingers beneath the waistband of his underwear on the hip, teasing him. Ben groans and pushes back against Hux, and then writhes a little to get him to move his hand.

Hux grows impatient with the teasing too, and he steps aside a little to get some space between them. He pulls Ben’s underwear down and caresses the back of his thigh until he reaches his ass. He pours some lube on his fingers and spreads it there to warm it up. 

Hux presses another kiss to Ben’s shoulder, and begins circling his entrance with his thumb. Ben’s eyes are closed and his breathing is a little heavy. 

Ben spreads his legs a little further, giving Hux better access. Hux puts the bottle of lube in his own pocket to free his other hand before reaching for Ben’s cock again. He mimics the movements of his thumb on the head, rubbing circles around the slit. Ben moans and turns his head to face the other side. Even in the darkness of the forest, Hux can see he’s flushed, his impossibly deep eyes closed in pleasure. Hux carefully slips the tip of his index finger inside Ben, while playing with his foreskin. Neither of the cocks he’s touched before had one, and it fascinates him, even if it is yet another proof of the New Republic’s decadence.

“You okay?” he whispers into Ben’s ear.

“You can do more,” Ben says, “it hasn’t been  _ that  _ long.”

“I prefer to do things thoroughly,” Hux drawls and licks the shell of Ben’s ear. Ben’s breath catches and he lets out a small whimper, like he’s unsure if he’s allowed to make it. Hux continues to suck on Ben’s ear,  and gently eases his finger inside Ben up to the knuckle, wondering if you can leave a hickey on someone’s ear. Ben sighs and trembles beneath , and it’s the most powerful Hux has ever felt, with Ben completely at his mercy. His own cock visibly bulges in his trousers and he’s very grateful for First Order issued boxers, it would have been very uncomfortable to try and fit his erection in the flimsy thing Ben was wearing. 

He pulls his finger out to the first knuckle and adds a second one, waiting for Ben to adjust for a while. Ben slumps a little, trying to take more. Hux follows the nudge and gives Ben both of his fingers, his other hand moving to rub soothing circles to Ben’s navel. Ben’s breath catches and the muscles in his abdomen flex under Hux’s hand, and it’s so intoxicating, Hux feels giddy.

“It tickles,” Ben explains, “stop doing it if you want to get your cock inside me.”

“A man can’t even be courteous with you,” Hux sighs, as if annoyed, and he moves his hand to Ben’s nipple. He cups Ben’s impressive pectoral, his head spinning when he can’t get the whole thing to fit in his palm, and squeezes Ben’s nipple between two of his fingers. Ben chokes on a startled moan.

“I’m ready, Hux,” he pleads when Hux stops moving his fingers inside Ben, “please.”

“You’re ready when I say you’re ready,” Hux tells him resolutely, and pushes a third finger inside Ben, a little more violently than he intended. Ben writhes a little but he doesn’t seem to be in pain.

“Stars that felt good,” he mumbles, “do it again.”

“I was trying to show you you weren’t ready,” Hux says, uncertain, “I wanted it to hurt.”

“I know,” Ben nods, breathless, “please make it hurt again.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yesss,” Ben wailed, his fingers curling on the bark, “I want it to hurt.”

Hux thinks it’s safer to cause Ben pain without threatening to actually injure him. His own cock demands attention, and he pulls his fingers out of Ben. He twists Ben’s nipple between his thumb and index finger, eliciting a moan from him, before rummaging through his pocket with shaking fingers to find the condom he hid there earlier. He pulls his trousers down, tears the wrapper and lets it fall to the ground, before hastily putting the condom on. He gets some more lube on it and positions himself with the head against Ben’s slick hole. He gets a fistful of Ben’s long - wonderful, sybaritic - hair and he pulls at it, making Ben throw his head back as he enters him. Ben cries out, his eyes flying wide open. Hux stills, waiting for Ben to recover, caressing his hip with lube-covered fingers.

“Alright?” he whispers into Ben’s ear.

“Yes,” Ben nods, “I’m okay.”

Hux plants a kiss to Ben’s cheekbone and slowly begins moving in and out. Ben is sweating and trembling, his eyelids fluttering. Hux has never had nails to dig into flesh, always following his father’s advice to trim his nails “to flesh and blood”, that is, as short as possible. He’s never felt any desire to have nails to sink into anything - until Ben, who wanted to be hurt. Hux grips Ben’s hip hard, with as much strength as he can muster, and simultaneously lets go of Ben’s hair, intending to use even the little of his nails that he has to scratch a line down Ben’s back. 

Ben moans, clenches around Hux and his spine bends wonderfully, and then he’s crying out again as Hux hits his prostate. Hux gets a hold of Ben’s cock again, finding the head slick with precome. He waits for two, maybe three of Ben’s rapid breaths, and very gently sinks his nail into the exposed skin. Ben cries out again and his fingers curl, peeling bits of bark off the tree, leaving light green cuts there, like gaping wounds. 

Hux is so close to his orgasm he thinks a single moan Ben might make would send him over the edge, and he wants it to last longer. He stills his movements, his cock urging his brain to hand over the control of his body, to let him think with his dick at least  _ once,  _ but Hux doesn’t. He palms Ben’s cock, and this close, while he’s inside, it almost feels like he’s touching himself. Ben breathes rapidly, his forehead against the tree, and there are four red lines on his back. Hux feels elated to have been the one to inflict them. 

Ben shudders and comes over Hux’s hand, his body distorting in pleasure, sending Hux over the edge as well. Hux bites down onto Ben’s shoulder to keep himself from crying out, and Ben sobs, overcome with the sensations. Hux stills, kissing the spot he bit onto, tasting blood. He doesn’t have time to feel sorry yet, too high on endorphins to care. He puts both of his hands on Ben’s sides, caressing him. He slips out of Ben but leans onto Ben, not trusting his legs just yet. 

“That was amazing,” Ben breaks the silence first, murmuring against the tree. Hux kisses his injured shoulder once more and peels himself off Ben. 

“It was,” Ben agrees and slowly turns around to face Hux. They’re both disheveled and sweaty, but neither of them is fully naked. “Let’s find a river.”

“A river?” Hux asks, dumbly. He’s tired, both physically and emotional, and while bathing himself in some water does not sound like a that bad idea, he’s not ready to go for a swim in a river.

“There should be one, if I remember the map correctly. We’re filthy.” To support his point, Ben takes Hux’s hand into his. Hux thinks it’s gross, until Ben licks his own come off Hux’s fingers, because then it’s extremely disgusting but also really really hot.

“That we are,” Hux admitted, wondering if Ben would lick his entire body clean if they didn’t find the supposed river. 

“I want to see you naked,” Ben says when he’s finished with Hux’s hand. Hux realises he might be allowed to see  _ Ben  _ naked, and that is certainly a good argument.

“Alright, you convinced me,” he sighs, “care to lead the way?”

They zipped up their trousers, and Hux thought he might need to jump into the river clothed. It wasn’t that the Order’s laundry never had come stains on it, but Hux’s never did, and that was a good enough reason. To make things worse, his shirt was already torn.They linked their fingers and walked through the forest, Ben with his shirt in his other hand.

“So you’re leaving for the war tomorrow,” Ben says, and it’s not a question.

“I had a very good time with you, and am still blissfully able to pretend I don’t know who you are besides a dashingly handsome stranger with a really good mouth and a thing for being hurt. I’d like it if it stayed that way.”

“But you  _ are  _ leaving for the war, aren’t you?” Ben presses on, “you’ll get on a star destroyer and shoot at Republic ships.”

“It’s a little bit more complicated than that, but essentially, you are right.”

“What about me?” Ben asks, and his voice is so quiet that Hux almost thinks he made it up.

“I don’t know? I guess you’ll just have to go back to whatever you were doing before,” Hux shrugs, trying to ignore the pain in Ben’s voice. This was a one night stand - with literal, actual standing - and he thought it would stay that way. He might like Ben, and he would love to see him again, but Ben was seeking hope where it wasn’t. 

“Maybe I could enlist to the First Order. I’m not so bad with blasters you know, and I know a lot. I could be useful,” Ben ponders, and Hux tries to recall if he didn’t hit Ben’s head against the tree. He wanted this to be real, bringing Ben to the Order would be a great achievement, but he couldn’t believe something a man sad so soon after sex. 

“Let’s find the river first and cool your head a little before you make some hasty decision you’d regret,” he says instead. Ben isn’t pleased with his answer but doesn’t protest further.

They find the river because of the low humming and occasional flapping noise rather than with their eyes. The forest is thick and dark, and a quick glance at his wrist chrono tells Hux it’s almost 0200. He has to report at the base at 0500. The journey there from the cantina was at least an hour in the speeder he rented to go our the planet. They have less time than he realised. 

Ben is stripped and jumped into the stream before Hux even realises what he was doing, and for a horrible moment Ben is underwater until he resurfaces a little down the flow. Hux takes off his clothes and folds them beside Ben’s before carefully stepping into the water. The night is warm but goosebumps prickle on his skin as he goes deeper and deeper, clutching his arms to his chest. Ben, whose skin shines in stark contrast with his dark wet hair, approaches Hux and grabs him around the waist, pressing his wet chest against Hux’s back. Hux yelps.

“You nerf,” he mutters, but it’s not exactly insulting. Ben laughs and kisses the top of Hux’s head. Hux eases himself into the water then, getting even his head wet against his better judgement. When he emerges again, Ben is there to greet him with a kiss. 

They stay in the water, kissing and touching each other, until their fingers are wrinkly, their lips blue, and Hux is shaking like a leaf. Ben graciously offers Hux his shirt to dry himself with, and Hux is too cold to refuse. He puts his clothes back on, as filthy as they are, and Ben pulls him into his arms again.

“It’s late,” Hux says, adjusting the chrono on his wrist.

“Are you tired?” 

“I have to get back to the base,” Hux says.

“Run away with me,” Ben offers, running his hands up and down Hux’s back.

“Now this is a ridiculous idea,” Hux replies, although it doesn’t sound as bad to his sleep-deprived, lonely brain.

“Can I at least go with you?” Ben whispers, “to the base.”

“Of course,” Hux doesn’t tell Ben how happy that would make him. He supposes that would be pouring even more salt into the wounds. 

They’re mostly silent on the way back, their hands linked between the seats. Hux is too tired to be driving, and Ben is not wearing a shirt, but Hux has never felt more content. It’s 0434 when they arrive at the base and Hux returns the speeder. 

“So…” Hux begins, and he bites his lips at how cliché he sounds.

“I hope we see each other again,” Ben says.

“I don’t,” Hux blurts out, before he thinks of what he’s actually saying. Ben’s face falls, and he clutches his fists. “No, that’s not what I meant. What I mean is… the most likely scenario for our next meeting would be me being sent to kill you. Or bombard the planet you’re on. That’s really not something I want.”

“You’re an idiot,” Ben mutters, “can’t we meet on your next shore-leave? Like normal people?” 

“Oh,” Hux has genuinely not thought about that. 

“Do you have personal comms in the First Order or is that too individualistic?”

Hux gives Ben his contact details in a hasty blurr of kisses and hushed promises, and he lets Ben write his own on his hand with a pen he had kept in one of his enormous pockets. Hux kisses Ben one last time and then he pulls away.

“Go get them, soldier,” Ben smiles.

“Till we meet again, cantina boy,” Hux replies and salutes Ben. He turns around and soon, the door of the base closes behind him.

On the other side, Ben Organa sighs and absent-mindedly pulls out two unused condoms from his pocket. 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on [tumblr](http://ellstra.tumblr.com/) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/EllstraH).


End file.
